Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-29
HISTORIC GROUND.

sThe Thermopyla of America.o
 In his paper (on the battle grounds around and about the Hoosac Mountains) read be- fore the Colony Historical society Tuesday evening Professor A. L. Perry of Williams town, Mass, said: Captain Ephraim Will Hams, founder of the town and college which bears his name, was the commander of three forts in western Massachusetts, five or six miles apart, which kept off the in cursions of the French and Indians. John Catlin was named as second in command. The forts were made of the giant pine trees of that section of country, many of them over one hundred feet high. Fort Shirley, or Fort Massachusetts, was 121 by 80 feet and 16 feet high. The old Mohawk trail, the great thoroughfare of the Mohawks and of many northern Indian tribes. was in the line of the forts. The little and the great Hoosac rivers water the fertile valleys of this section of country, and crossed by other rivers they formed kind of advantageous ground to which was given the name of St. Croix John Catlin's letter while he was in command of Fort Massachusetts, quaint but faithful account of his situation while awaiting the attacks of the French and In dians, was read exactly as originally written. In it he describes a peril ous journey to the Dutch settlements on the Hudson for supplies, while the fort was built and manned to guard against and prevent encroachment by the Hollanders. With no money, exchanges were made at
 fixed prices for corn, wheat, etc. Varness was owner of the mill property at the Dutch settlements and furnished provisions at fair prices. Explorations were related by Prof. Perry of the pioneers who named the beauti- ful Lake George Lake Sacrament" They 7aia from dia, who took earliest possession of New York State and the far West. Ethan Aliens bold capture of Ticonderoga was incidentally mentioned and the part Benedict Arnold took in the enterprise. Quotas of 1000 and 800 men from Connecticut were Norton, John Hawkes., Moses Rice of Smed- ley were mentioned. Colonies of Scotch Presbyterians in 1719 settled in New Hamp- shire and northern and western Massachu- setts. Families of highest distinction trace their lineage to these people. More than one half of New Hampshire's governors were men of this Scotch-Irish race. The reader was fairly in love with his subject, this ancient history of the Hoosac country. Six tlmbers of the old fort are saved in good preservation which he had himself seen and handled, one hundred and ferty-one years old. An old compass has been found used in explorations at that period. In 1745 occurred the capture of Fort Massachusetts by the French with some fifty prisoners, who were taken to Canada. They were afterward ex- changed and their descendants are part of our people.
 For an hour and half the reading held the close attention of the audience. Only about fifty persons were present, and one very young lady. To these the speaker ez- pressed his thanks for their kind attention. Hon. Thomas R. Trowbridge, Captain 0. H. Townshend, General E. E. Bradley, Gov ernor Bowers and Prof. s. E. Baldwin, the president made interesting remarks, the reader, Prof. Perry, giving much additional information in reply to queries A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Prof. Perry'an request made that the paper be published.